Research overview: taste bud anatomy on the feline tongue

Taste in cats is mediated by taste buds distributed across the tongue within specialized papillae, the same basic apparatus found in other mammals. This overview surveys feline taste bud anatomy, including the types and distribution of papillae that house the receptor cells responsible for detecting bitter, sour, savory, and salt tastes. The cat's tongue also bears prominent backward-facing keratinized papillae used for grooming and rasping flesh, which are distinct from the sensory taste papillae. The survey relates taste bud structure to the cat's overall taste capabilities and to its carnivorous feeding. It discusses how the arrangement of taste buds supports the evaluation of food. Understanding taste bud anatomy grounds feline taste perception in the physical structures of the tongue. It distinguishes the sensory taste apparatus from the mechanical grooming papillae, clarifying that the cat's tongue serves both as a tasting organ and as a tool, each role supported by different specialized structures.